Kernels put up 23 runs on Peoria

CEDAR RAPIDS - There were so many things that happened Monday night associated with the 23-3 butt kicking the Cedar Rapids Kernels handed out to Peoria at Veterans Memorial Stadium, it's difficult to know where to begin.

'Everything and anything went our way tonight,” said Kernels Manager Jake Mauer.

The Kernels batted around twice in the first four innings, with every position player having at least one hit in that span. Leadoff man Sean Miller had five singles and a walk in the game, while ninth-place guy Austin Diemer reached all six times: four hits, a walk and hit by pitch.

Miller, Nick Gordon, Edgar Corcino and T.J. White came to the plate seven times each. White and Max Murphy had back-to-back at-bats in the seventh with chances to hit for the cycle, both needing a home run and neither getting one.

'Both Murph and I talked about it, trying to go back to back,” said White, who flew to the warning track in left-center with one more cycle chance in the eighth. 'We were both trying. Missed it, just short.”

The Kernels (72-54, 31-25) scored 11 runs in the fourth, finished with 27 hits and 23 runs, still leaving 11 guys on base. They had 26 at-bats with runners in scoring position, picking up 15 hits.

That stuff is borderline unbelievable.

'Hitting is contagious,” White said. 'Everybody started swinging it early. It was a fun game.”

Peoria starting pitcher Jack Flaherty, a first-round draft choice last season, entered the game with an 8-1 record and 2.33 earned run average and left with an 8-2 record and 2.88 ERA. Reliever Dixon Llorens came in at 3.38 ERA wise, gave up eight straight hits and left with a 7.23.

Chiefs first baseman Alex DeLeon came on to pitch ... in the sixth inning. He was followed by catcher Luiz Cruz and infielder Jake Gronsky, meaning Peoria used three position guys on the mound.

Hey, why not? It's only one game. One very, very lopsided game.

The teams play again Tuesday night at 6:35.

'It's a little concerning because you want to save some of those runs,” Mauer said. 'We swung the bat good, and even when we didn't swing it good, we found holes, floated balls in. It's hard to explain these games when they happen.”

Sam Gibbons of the Kernels was named the Midwest League's Pitcher of the Week before Monday's game. He allowed just one baserunner (an infield single) in eight innings last Saturday night a victory over the Clinton LumberKings.

l Comments: (319) 398-8259; jeff.johnson@thegazette.com